Jury urged to give verdict of not guilty by insanity

A KILKENNY psychiatrist who drowned her daughter in the bath should not be held responsible for the killing because she was suffering from a significant depressive disorder that led her to think she was helping her daughter escape a hopeless life ruled by anorexia nervosa, a court has heard.

The jury of nine women and three men hearing the trial of Lynn Gibbs, aged 47, who is charged with the murder of her daughter Ciara Gibbs, aged 16, between 11pm, November 25, 2006 and 10am, November 26, 2006, is expected toretire this morning to consider their verdict.

The psychiatrist from Killure in Gowran, Co Kilkenny, has pleaded not guilty to murdering her daughter but admits her killing. The jury are being urged to return a verdict of not guilty by insanity.